‘Still, the admission of interest from NHL teams seemingly gives credence to rumors that the Buffalo Sabres are again looking to buy the team. They tried to purchase the team in 2007-08, when the Amerks’ former ownership group headed by Steve Donner was buried in debt. However, Styres bought majority interest in the franchise in June 2008.’

‘"I did what I had to do," said Gragnani, who had already spent three full seasons in the minors. "Obviously, I would’ve liked to be [in Buffalo] all year, but the situation they had, they had a lot of D’s and I got hurt, so it was an easy move for them. You can’t blame them."’

‘It seems as though Kassian needs guidance and next year, no matter where he plays, he should get that with the older teammates around him. The main focus in 2011-12 for him will be to get the mental part of his game in the right place as the physical part is a sorely needed component to a Sabres team that could use some snarl in their game.’

‘"I’m proud of this team, and I’m very happy to be part of it," Gerbe said. "If you look around the room at this team, it’s made huge strides. A lot of young guys got good chances this year and played well. It was a good experience in the playoffs, and hopefully that can carry through."’

‘The maturation of Enroth and the resulting transformation of Buffalo’s goaltending hierarchy was one of the more intriguing developments of the season. Enroth showed he is ready for the NHL, thereby showing the Sabres they could do without Lalime.’

‘“I felt as though I had it in me, I had the potential. It was just a matter of tweaking a few things in my preparation and my training,” Stafford said in the days following the 2010-11 campaign. “Coming in, making sure I was just as prepared as I can be, mentally and physically. That’s not going to change… I still feel I can get better and I’m going to focus on that this summer.”’

‘"The league recognizes not just in the playoffs, but prior to the playoffs, that one of the most dangerous areas in which players are getting hurt is in and around the boards," Regier said. "I think one of the struggles, and I can’t speak for them, is the difficulty in changing or altering rules in season. They’ve identified a committee to review these hits."’

‘“He works harder than pretty much anybody I’ve seen, and he does it without question,” Miller said. “He does it because it puts a smile on his face to be on the ice with the guys. That’s the kind of attitude you want around. That’s the kind of goaltending partner you want to have because he’s never had anything but a good thing to say to me, and if I needed to be picked up, he was first one there.”’

‘Grier needs to see how his wrist and knee respond to surgery and rest, respectively. The 36-year-old needs to determine if he still has the skills to keep up in a game that’s getting younger. He needs to see if the Sabres still want him.’